


An Unexpected Family

by alanna_the_lionheart



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Brief mention of Diggle/Lyla, Christmas, Christmas Dinner, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family, Family Feels, First Christmas, Fluff, Future Fic, Light Angst, New Family, OSS2017, Olicity Secret Santa 2017, One Shot, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, brief mention of Thea/Roy, olicity - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 04:56:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13139526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alanna_the_lionheart/pseuds/alanna_the_lionheart
Summary: William spends his first Christmas with his new family.





	An Unexpected Family

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bokayjunkie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bokayjunkie/gifts).



> For the purposes of this story, assume that William is 12 years old this Christmas. There’s too much contradicting canon on this topic, but I’ve always thought that, based on the choice of actor, 12 makes more sense than 10.
> 
> This is my Olicity Secret Santa 2017 gift for @bokayjunkie. Because I spent Thanksgiving weekend watching Christmas movies, I got to wondering how William might spend the holidays with his new family. This started off with the simple idea of “five times William helped make Christmas dinner for his family” and quickly grew into an entire Thing. It took on a life of its own and went in directions I wasn’t intending, but in the best ways possible - at least I think so. 
> 
> Friendly warning: you’ll probably want to have tissues on hand.
> 
> Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, and happy Monday to those who don't! Enjoy!

**An Unexpected Family**

 

_ December 24th, 2017 _

 

The first year William helps his father make Christmas dinner, he burns the sweet potatoes.

 

“I’m sorry,” William mumbles as Oliver pulls the pan of charcoal black potatoes out of the oven.

 

“It’s okay, buddy,” Oliver assures him, smiling softly at his son as he sets the inedible dish on top of the stove. “There’s a lot that goes into cooking. You just need some practice. And besides, you did a great job on the mashed potatoes.”

 

“Yes, you did,” a voice responds from behind them, and William turns around just in time to see Felicity stick a spoon into the bowl of mashed potatoes and shove it into her mouth. “Mmmm,  _ heavenly _ ,” she sighs, and William laughs as Oliver takes the spoon out of her hands with a smirk.

 

“What did I tell you about sampling the food before dinner?” he asks, leaning in over her, but there’s a playful smile on his face, and William knows his father is just teasing her.

 

“ ‘Don’t,’ ” Felicity answers, and she reaches out to try and grab the spoon from him, but Oliver pulls it away from her and holds it out to William. William takes it and deposits it in the sink, out of Felicity’s reach.

 

“Oh, boo, you guys are no fun,” she pouts, and Oliver just smiles at her and bends down for a kiss. William turns away - not from embarrassment, but to give them some privacy, because he’s grown used to their displays of affection by now.

 

He doesn’t know either Oliver or Felicity very well yet, but he’s learning more and more about his father and his new step-mother everyday, and if there’s one thing he  _ does _ know it’s that they love each other very much.

 

He gives them what he considers to be enough time for a kiss - which, unbeknownst to him, is not even _ close _ to enough time - before he asks, “What’s next?”

 

* * *

 

A few hours later, the three of them collapse in the living room.

 

Dinner was  _ delicious.  _

 

His dad had done most of the work, of course, but Oliver had shown him how to do it all: the potatoes, the rolls, the various side dishes, the pumpkin and apple pies (which are still cooling), and even the ham. It was a lot of work, but William had enjoyed learning how to prepare everything. He’s not sure he’ll ever be as good a cook as Oliver, but he’s looking forward to learning more from his father in the future.

 

William lets out a long sigh and leans back in his chair, more than willing to sit in silence for a few minutes while his food digests.

 

A soft groan makes him open his eyes, and he smiles at the sight of Felicity sitting on the couch next to Oliver, her head resting on his shoulder.

 

“Ohhhh, I couldn’t eat another bite,” Felicity moans, rubbing dramatically at her stomach.

  
William shakes his head, because he knows for a fact that that’s just not true.

 

Oliver calls her out on it, of course. 

 

“I don’t believe that for a second,” he chuckles, and he reaches down and grabs her left hand in his right. He rubs his fingers against her wedding ring (something William’s noticed the two of them doing quite a lot since they got married a month ago). “We haven’t even had dessert yet,” Oliver reminds her, and Felicity pulls her head away from his shoulder.

 

“Dessert?” she asks, and she flips her hand in his so she can twine their fingers together. “You didn’t tell me there was dessert.”

 

“There’s  _ always _ dessert, Mrs. Smoak,” his dad teases, and William can’t help but smile as Felicity scoots closer to Oliver and kisses him on the cheek. “Assuming you have room for it, of course.”

 

“There’s  _ always _ room for dessert, Mr. Queen,” she assures him, and the look his dad gives her makes William’s cheeks flame red. 

 

“Hey, Oliver?” William asks, because he’s afraid if he doesn’t say something they’re going to forget he’s even in the room.

 

“Yeah, buddy?” Oliver responds, turning to his son.

 

“When are we going to open the presents?” he asks, gesturing at the good sized pile of wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree. 

 

Oliver smiles.

 

“Well, Queen family tradition has always been that we each get to open one present on Christmas Eve, and we save the rest for the morning. I’m not sure how you-”

 

Oliver pauses, and William notices that his posture stiffens just the slightest. Felicity must notice it, too, because she sits up straighter next to him and grabs his right hand between both of her own, squeezing it gently.

 

Oliver clears his throat, then continues. 

 

“I’m not sure how you and your mom used to do it,” he finishes.

 

The room falls quiet after that, and it feels like Oliver’s dropped a bomb on the festivities. 

 

William’s stomach churns uncomfortably, making him feel like he’s going to be sick, and the dark, heavy feeling of sadness and fear that’s lived in his chest ever since he lost his mother - the one that’s been slowly but steadily growing lighter every day - suddenly threatens to crush him.

 

William turns away so his father won’t see that he’s started to cry.

 

But Oliver notices anyway.

 

“William….”

 

Oliver doesn’t say anything more, and as Willam wraps his arms around his stomach - tears falling against his will - he hears movement from the couch.

 

He doesn’t want to be sad. Not today. 

 

It’s Christmas.

 

“Wiliam.”

 

He feels a warm, strong hand land on his shoulder, and he knows he couldn’t pull away even if he wanted to.

 

...And he doesn’t want to. 

 

“I miss her,” William whispers, and a sob escapes him. 

 

And then another.

 

Before he knows what’s happening, Oliver is kneeling down in front of him and he’s being pulled into a hug.

 

William rests his head against his father’s chest as the tears come hard and fast.

 

“I know, buddy. I know. It’s okay,” Oliver whispers soothingly, pressing a kiss against the top of William’s head, and somehow that only makes him cry even more.

 

His cheeks heat up in embarrassment. He’s turning 13 next year; he’s too old to be crying like this. But he can’t help it.

 

When William was little, his mother had always told him that his dad wasn’t ready to be a parent, and that’s why he’d left them before William was born. She’d never sounded bitter or angry when she spoke about his father, though. And so - while William had always wished that his father had chosen to stay - he’d never really grown to hate him.

 

But then he’d also never really loved him.

 

Thoughts of his father had never really made William feel...anything.

 

Growing up, William had never expected to meet his father. 

 

He’d never expected his father to cook for him, or pick him up from school, or help him get back to sleep when he woke up from a nightmare.

 

He’d never expected to celebrate Christmas with his father.

 

He’d never expected his father to care for him, or comfort him….

 

...or love him.

 

He’d never expected  _ any _ of this.

 

And yet here he is, crying in his father’s arms.

 

Oliver’s been there for him in a way that William had never expected...and when he finds himself calling out for his father, he knows it should surprise him….

 

...but it doesn’t.

 

“Dad?” he whimpers, and when Oliver hugs him tighter, William wraps his arms around his father and holds on tight.

 

“I’m here, William. I’m here,” Oliver soothes him. “I’m here, son.”

 

And William finally lets himself cry in a way he hasn’t since his mother died.

 

As he lets go, he’s vaguely aware of the sound of Felicity getting off the couch.

 

Vaguely aware of hearing her whisper Oliver’s name.

 

Vaguely aware of his dad answering with a simple, “please.”

 

William opens his eyes for a second, just long enough to watch Felicity kneel down next to Oliver, rest her head against his shoulder, and wrap her arms around his back. She’s careful not to touch William, and he understands why...but at the same time he kind of wishes she would. 

 

And suddenly he’s crying harder.

 

So William closes his eyes and lets his father hold him until the tears finally stop.

 

When he’s done, William finds that, somehow, he feels better.

 

Wordlessly, Oliver stands and grabs a box of tissues from the coffeetable, handing it to William. As William dries his face, his father leaves to check on the pies.

 

Felicity is nowhere in sight.

 

William blows his nose one last time, then moves to the trashcan over by the couch to throw away his tissues. Then he walks over to the Christmas tree.

 

He looks over the ornaments carefully, like he’s done so many times already.

 

There are many different kinds of ornaments on the tree; the three of them had worked together to decorate it a few days after Thanksgiving. A lot of them are electronic - the kind that light up and make noise if you touch them (all courtesy of Felicity) - but there are a lot of older ones, too. As he looks at the mix of new and old, his gaze lands on a set of four ornaments near the very top.

 

These are his favorites.

 

There are two snowmen bearing the names “Oliver” and “Thea” which - quite fittingly - have green and red scarves on them, respectively. Then there’s a small white bear wearing a blue scarf with Felicity’s name on it, and it has the words “Baby’s First Hanukkah” stitched on its stomach. And finally, there’s a little gingerbread man with William’s name and the words “Baby’s First Christmas” on it.

 

William smiles as he looks at them, thinking about the little family they seem to make.

 

“Will?” he hears a soft voice beside him, and he turns to find Felicity holding out a mug. “Hot chocolate?”

 

He nods, taking it from her gratefully, and he takes a sip and sighs.

 

Felicity’s hot chocolate is perfect, as usual. The temperature, the amount of chocolate, the marshmallow-to-whipped cream ratio. She has it all down to a science. According to her, it’s the only thing “aside from coffee and disasters” that she’s good at making in the kitchen.

 

Funnily enough, William had never really liked hot chocolate before Felicity started making it for him.

 

William takes another sip, and the drink makes him feel warm, and happy….

 

...and loved.

 

He looks back up at the ornaments on the tree, and he knows he’s making the right choice.

 

“Oliver?” he calls out, loudly enough that Oliver can hear him from the kitchen.

 

“Yeah, buddy?” Oliver answers from behind him, and William turns around just as his father walks back into the living room.

 

“Mom would always make me wait until Christmas morning...but I think I’d like to try something else.”

 

Oliver smiles, and he closes the remaining distance between them and puts a hand on his shoulder, gripping it tightly.

 

“Whatever you want to do is fine. We can start a whole new tradition, if you want.”

 

William shakes his head. 

 

“I want to try it your way; the Queen family way.”

 

William’s pretty sure the smile Oliver gives him could light their Christmas tree by itself, and he shifts uncomfortably as his father’s eyes start to shine with tears. But then Oliver says, “I’d like that very much,” and Felicity shakily answers, “me too,” and William takes another sip of his hot chocolate because he’s afraid he might start crying again if he doesn’t.

 

He keeps drinking until Felicity (thankfully) breaks the silence.

 

“So! How does this work, husband?” she asks, turning to survey the pile of presents under the tree. 

 

Oliver makes a weird, strangled noise, then quickly covers it by clearing his throat. Felicity doesn’t seem to notice, but William looks at his father questioningly, his right eyebrow quirking up like it usually does when he’s confused; a trait that - as he’s only recently discovered - he clearly inherited from his father.

 

William clasps his mug tight and chooses not to say anything about it as Oliver comes to stand on his other side.

 

“We each pick out one present that we want to open,” his dad explains. “William, do you wanna go first?”

 

“Actually...can I pick out something for  _ you guys _ to open?” William asks.

 

Oliver smiles, then wraps an arm around William’s shoulder and pulls him to his side. “Of course you can. How about we all pick something for everyone else to open?” he suggests. 

 

“Perfect!” Felicity squeals, and before either of them can move, she streaks past them and starts digging through the pile. “Let’s go slowpokes. I wanna open presents!”

 

William and his father share a quick look before Oliver dives in after Felicity. William takes a second to set his mug down safely on the floor before he joins them. He picks out his presents immediately, because he knows exactly where he put them, and he steps aside as Oliver and Felicity continue to dig through the pile. 

 

“Come on, come on, where is it?” Felicity mutters, searching frantically for a second package.

 

“I don’t know, honey, but you’re in my way,” Oliver responds, and Felicity squeaks as Oliver wraps his arms around her middle and picks her up off the floor.

 

“Put me down!” she laughs, and Oliver chuckles back as he moves carefully over the wrapped presents and deposits her feet on the ground. “No fair!” she accuses, and Oliver just smirks at her as he turns back to the gifts and picks up his second package.

 

Felicity crosses her arms over her chest and pouts. Oliver shakes his head, and as he moves to step around her he kisses her fondly on the cheek.

 

“Whenever you’re ready, hon,” he teases, and William can’t keep himself from laughing as Felicity huffs and moves back toward the pile. After searching for a few seconds, she finds her second gift and comes back over to them. As she walks past Oliver, heading toward the open spot of floor in front of the couch, she wields the second (much smaller) package in her hand and smacks him hard in the chest with it.

 

“Oww,” Oliver complains, frowning as he rubs at his chest. “I guess I deserved that.”

 

“Yes, you did,” she tells him, but she’s smiling, and she smacks him on the arm - softer this time - before sitting on the floor. “Who’s going first?”

 

“Me,” William responds as he sits down on the floor with his gifts. “Well, you guys, I guess, but….” He looks at the boxes in his hand, considers for a moment, then holds one out to Oliver and one to Felicity. “Here. These are for both of you.”

 

Felicity gasps, and she takes her package with a whisper of William’s name and a smile. 

 

Oliver, on the other hand, just stares at his package, and William’s afraid he’s somehow done something wrong. But then Oliver looks up at him with an unreadable expression on his face.

 

“You didn’t have to get us anything, buddy. It’s Christmas. We should be getting  _ you _ presents.”

 

William shakes his head. “It’s okay; I wanted to. I bought them with my allowance,” he explains.

 

“William, I….”

 

It’s clear that his father wants to say something, but for some reason he can’t. William’s about to take the box back when Felicity clears her throat.

 

“Oliver, honey, take the present.”

 

Her words seem to bring Oliver back to the moment, and he laughs lightly and finally takes the gift from him.

 

“Thanks, buddy,” he says with a smile. “Felicity, do you want to-”

 

“Open mine first?” she asks as she tears at the wrapping on the small box she’s holding. “Don’t mind if I do.”

 

Oliver rolls his eyes and smiles at her, and as William watches his father watch Felicity, he sees nothing but love in his father’s eyes. It’s similar to the way Oliver looks at him, yet different at the same time. Felicity makes his dad happy, and yeah, William totally gets it, because she’s pretty damn cool.

 

Once Felicity’s got the box unwrapped she pulls the lid off, and she gasps as she reaches inside and pulls out a small gold ornament.

 

“Oh, William,” she sighs, and she covers her mouth with her hand.

 

“Lemme see,” Oliver says, and he leans in closer to her. Felicity holds the ornament out so the two of them can look at it together, and Oliver lets out a soft “wow” when he sees it.

 

It’s a Christmas tree ornament in the shape of a gold star. On the front there’s a picture of Oliver and Felicity at their wedding reception, and an engraving around the edge of the image reads “Our First Christmas, 2017.” As Felicity’s eyes grow shiny with tears, Oliver carefully flips the ornament over, and he finds their names printed on the back: “Oliver and Felicity.”

 

“This...this is….” Felicity stammers, at a loss for words, but then Oliver finds them for her.

 

“It’s beautiful, William. Thank you.”

 

Felicity nods, and she lets Oliver take the ornament from her and set it back in the box as she leans over and pulls William into a tight hug.

 

“Thank you, Will. I love it,” she tells him, and William smiles as he hugs Felicity back and says “you’re welcome.”

 

She sniffles when she pulls away, and as she wipes a few stray tears from her eyes Oliver bends down and kisses the top of her head.

 

“Open yours, hon,” Felicity tells him, pointing at the second package lying in front of Oliver.

 

Oliver nods, and he takes his box (the same size and shape as the one Felicity just opened) and starts to unwrap it.

 

“I got them made at a little shop downtown,” William explains. “Aunt Thea drove me down there and helped me pick out a design, but it was all my idea.”

 

Oliver takes a second to look up at William and smile before pulling the top off his box.

 

Inside, he finds a similar ornament. It’s the same size and shape as the first one, but silver instead of gold, and on the front of it is another picture from their wedding reception….

 

...only this one has all three of them in it.

 

Oliver and Felicity, with William standing in the middle. 

 

All three of their names are engraved on the back….

 

...and on the front, around the edge of the image, are the words, “Our First Christmas as a Family.”

 

Oliver’s eyes grow wide as he looks at the gift, but he doesn’t say a word. Felicity leans in to look at it with him, and her eyes fill with tears yet again, only this time she doesn’t let them fall. Instead she rests her head on Oliver’s shoulder and wraps an arm around him, rubbing gently at his back.

 

Neither of them says anything, and William feels his heart start to race. Maybe he made a mistake. Maybe his dad doesn’t like it, or maybe- 

 

Before he knows what’s happening, Oliver leans over and pulls William into a fierce hug.

 

“Thank you, William,” Oliver whispers against his hair. “I love it. Thank you.”

 

William hugs his dad back, and he wants to say more but - much like his father - he’s having trouble making the words come out.

 

He’s pretty sure the gift says it all, though.

 

Finally, just when William starts to feel like he’s running out of air because his dad is squeezing him so hard, Oliver pulls away.

 

“What do you say we hang these up together?” Oliver suggests, and William nods happily. 

 

So the three of them get up and move over to the tree, looking for an empty spot on the already overcrowded branches.

 

But William already knows exactly where they should go.

 

“Here,” he says, pointing at a spot underneath the four ornaments he’d looked at earlier.

 

Oliver nods, and they all carefully move a few ornaments around to make room for the two new ones. When they’re done, they step back, and Felicity lets out a sigh as she declares it “perfect.”

 

Then they head back to their spot on the floor to open the rest of the presents.

 

William opens his next. Both of them turn out to be books. Felicity’s is a beginner’s guide to coding - which William had mentioned he was interested in learning, and which she can’t wait to go through with him tomorrow - and Oliver’s is all about the basics of cooking.

 

“I don’t expect you to become a chef or anything, but I was hoping...maybe I could show you some things?” Oliver offers, and William notes that his father suddenly seems nervous; a rarity for him.

 

“I’d like that,” William assures him with a quick nod, and Oliver practically beams back at him.

 

Lastly, Oliver and Felicity exchange gifts with each other. William’s pretty sure they’re more like “gag gifts” than actual presents, but either way, they both seem happy with what they’ve received. Felicity smirks and says “damn straight” when she opens her bag and finds a coffee mug that says “Queen of Everything” in fancy gold script, and Oliver actually blushes when he unwraps a pair of red spatulas with the words “Devoted to Dessert” written on them.

 

“Felicity….” Oliver trails off, and his cheeks grow redder and redder the longer he stares at his gift. Eventually, Felicity takes pity on him, and she leans over and kisses his cheek before standing up and holding her hands out to him.

 

“Speaking of dessert, I think it’s time for pie,” she suggests, and Oliver nods, smiling as he takes her hands and lets her help him to his feet. William chuckles as they head into the kitchen to dish out the pumpkin and apple pies, and while he’s pretty sure he’s missing something, he realizes it’s probably better that way.

 

Once they each have a plate of pie, they sit down on the couch together to watch some Christmas specials. They make it through  _ A Charlie Brown Christmas _ ,  _ How the Grinch Stole Christmas,  _ and about half of  _ Rudolph _ before William falls asleep.

 

A gentle shaking of his shoulder wakes him up just as the credits are rolling.

 

“Time for bed, buddy,” Oliver says softly.

 

William lifts his head up from his dad’s shoulder, where he must have rested it when he fell asleep. As he sits up on the couch he nods before yawning loudly.

 

Oliver chuckles, and he runs a hand through William’s hair, messing it up.

 

“Dad, stop,” William laughs, and Oliver pulls his hand away suddenly.

 

William has only called him “Dad” twice - both during times when he was scared and upset. This is the first time he’s ever called him “Dad” while he was happy.

 

The moment isn’t lost on either of them, and they stare at each other, both at a loss for words once more.

 

Like father, like son.

 

Just when the silence starts to get awkward, a quiet snore sounds from William’s left, and Felicity stirs in her sleep, sighing softly as she snuggles farther into her corner of the couch.

 

Leave it to Felicity to break the tension, William thinks to himself, and he laughs as he stands up from the couch, ready to head to his room.

 

He only makes it a few steps before Oliver stops him.

 

“William?”

 

“Yeah?” he asks, turning back toward his father.

 

“I love you,” Oliver tells him simply.

 

And though it’s not the first time Oliver’s said it, it _ is _ the first time that William responds:

 

“I love you, too.”

 

His dad smiles at him, nodding once, and William nods back. 

 

“Ol’vr?” Felicity mumbles, and William watches silently as Oliver turns to her. 

 

“Time for bed, my love,” Oliver whispers gently, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, and as Oliver stands up from the couch and bends down to pick up his sleepy wife, William turns away and heads to bed.

 

Ten minutes later, William falls fast asleep...and for the first time in a long time, he doesn’t have a single nightmare.

 

* * *

 

One year later, William helps his father make Christmas dinner again. He’s better at it than he was before - having had some practice in the kitchen with Oliver - and when William suggests that they makes this a new tradition, Felicity pulls him and his father in for a tight group hug.

 

“Felicity!” William protests, but he ends up laughing because he’s not really upset.

 

“No complaining,” Felicity tells him. “Either of you. It’s Christmas, and I love my boys, which means you’re both getting hugs.”

 

“I’m hardly a boy anymore,” Oliver starts to say at the same time that William says, “I love you, too.”

 

And just like that, Felicity’s squeezing him even tighter, and William gasps for air because yeah, even though he’s actually taller than her now, she’s still scary strong.

 

* * *

 

Oliver, William, and Felicity don’t just celebrate Christmas every year: they celebrate Hanukkah, too.

 

On the day after Thanksgiving, the three of them decorate their house for both holidays, and the decorations usually stay up well past New Years. With Felicity’s guidance, they observe all the best and most important Hanukkah traditions, and Oliver and William share their own Christmas traditions with her in return. When it comes to eating for the week of Hanukkah, Oliver does his best to cook Felicity’s favorite foods. He buys cookbooks, does research online, and even borrows recipes from his mother-in-law, doing his best to replicate them. Every year he learns more and more dishes, and every year William’s pretty sure they all gain five pounds each from his dad’s cooking

 

Two years after his first Christmas with Oliver and Felicity, the week of Hanukkah happens to fall during Christmas time. As a result, their Christmas Eve dinner consists of a wonderful combination of both Christmas and Hanukkah meals, and - as per their new tradition - William helps Oliver with all the cooking.

 

Aunt Thea assures him that the sweet potatoes - which he made all by himself this year and did  _ not _ burn - are perfection, while Mr. Lance really enjoys the marinade William helped make for the ham. Then Felicity’s mother actually starts to cry because the latkes Oliver made taste just like the ones her mother made when she was little. William cringes slightly as Donna hugs Oliver extra tight, while Felicity leans over and whispers in William’s ear, “I should hope so; I stole the recipe off her computer.”

 

* * *

 

The following year - about a week after William turns 15 - they welcome a new member into their family, and so William buys another new ornament for their Christmas tree. He manages to find one that looks just like his own “First Christmas” ornament, and he writes the words on it himself.

 

_ Baby’s First Christmas, 2020 _

_ Ava Queen _

 

With practice, William has gotten better and better at cooking - though he’s not nearly as interested in it as he is in computers - and so he makes all the sides by himself that year, leaving Oliver to cook the ham and bake the desserts (because Oliver can’t  _ not _ make the desserts).

 

After dinner, the three of them sit down in the living room to watch  _ It’s A Wonderful Life. _ A mere twenty minutes into the movie, Felicity and his father fall asleep together on the couch. William lets them rest, because he knows how exhausted they both are, especially his step-mom.

 

About halfway through the movie, the sound of soft crying starts to come through on the baby monitor, and William shuts it off before it can wake Oliver and Felicity. Then he moves quietly down the hallway toward his baby sister’s room. When he finds her crying loudly in her crib, he carefully picks her up and starts to rock her back and forth in his arms.

 

“Shhh, it’s okay, Ava,” he soothes her. “I’m here. It’s okay.”

 

As he holds her, Ava continues to cry - just a bit softer than before - and so William sits down in the rocking chair and tries to lull her back to sleep. When her cries still haven’t quieted after a minute of rocking, he starts to sing to her: a lullaby his mom used to sing to him when he was little.

 

A few minutes later, she still hasn’t stopped crying. William’s loath to wake Felicity, but he knows little Ava must be hungry. He’s about to stand when a voice speaks from the doorway.    
  


“Will?” Felicity calls his name softly, and it sounds like she’s been crying. He wonders how long she’s been standing there watching him try and rock his little sister to sleep.

 

“I was just about to come get you,” William says, and he stands from the rocker as Felicity moves into the room. “I know you’re tired, and I wanted to let you sleep, but I think she’s hungry, and-”

 

Before he can finish, Felicity wraps her arms around him and pulls him into a hug. It’s quick and not too tight, as William is still holding Ava, and when she pulls away he realizes that he was right; Felicity  _ has _ been crying.

 

“You’re a good brother, Will...and you’re an even better son,” she tells him, running her fingers gently across his cheek.

 

William’s heart clenches in his chest, and he can’t help but feel guilty, even though he knows he shouldn’t.

 

He’s gotten used to calling Oliver “Dad,” but he’s never called Felicity “Mom” before...and if he’s being honest, he doesn’t think he ever will.

 

It’s something he and Felicity have talked about before; just once - a few days after Ava was born.

 

It was Felicity’s last night in the hospital before she was due to take her newborn daughter home. Felicity had asked him if they could discuss something important: just the two of them. Felicity had wanted him to understand that even though she had a baby of her own now, it didn’t change anything between them. She’d wanted him to understand that she never had and never would expect William to think of her as his mother, or to call her anything more than “Felicity,” and that she was okay with it. 

 

“I would never try and take your mother’s place, Will,” she’d told him that night. “I just… I need you to know that I love you, and that no matter what happens, I’ll always think of you as my son.”

 

Looking at Felicity now, William knows that while he isn’t ready - and he may  _ never _ be - what’s important is that they’re a family. Him, his dad, Felicity...and now baby Ava.

 

William smiles down at his little sister, then lifts her up carefully and kisses her forehead. 

 

As he hands Ava to Felicity, he smiles.

 

“Family doesn’t end with blood,” William says, looking at her pointedly. It’s something Felicity has said to him many times before; something that William has grown to appreciate more and more as the years pass. It means that even if they aren’t related by blood, he and Felicity are a family in every way that really matters.

 

Felicity nods, and tears rise in her eyes as she smiles back at him, clearly happy to hear that William has taken her words to heart. She hugs her daughter tighter to her chest, and Ava starts squirming, crying harder now because her mommy isn’t giving her what she wants.

 

Felicity sighs tiredly, but she doesn’t stop smiling as she reaches up and ruffles William’s hair affectionately before shooing him from the room.

 

“Go tell your father to stop snoring. I can’t sleep with all the racket he’s making.”

 

William laughs, and as Felicity sits down in the rocker to nurse her daughter, William heads back to the living room to finish watching the movie.

 

* * *

 

Three years later, William returns to Star City for his first winter break from MIT.

 

He hasn’t chosen a major yet, as he’s still exploring his numerous options, but Felicity can’t stop beaming with pride everytime she talks excitedly about how William got into her old alma mater.

 

“William’s smart, just like his father,” Felicity has taken to telling anyone who will listen to her gush about his scholarship to MIT.

 

“You mean like  _ you?”  _ Oliver always asks, to which Felicity inevitably responds, “Well, yes,  _ obviously _ , but you’re smart, too, Oliver. You always have been.”

 

As embarrassing as it is to be talked about like he’s not there, William’s response is always the same - a shake of his head and a smile - because everytime Felicity calls Oliver “smart” his dad’s eyes light up, and he looks at her like he can’t believe how lucky he is to have her.

 

William hopes he can find a love even half as good as theirs someday.

 

A few days before Christmas Eve, William asks Oliver if he can prepare dinner all by himself this time. While he’s definitely been enjoying himself at MIT, he’s been feeling a bit homesick lately, and the idea of cooking a showstopping Christmas dinner for his family feels like the perfect remedy.

 

Oliver seems shocked at first, and William’s afraid he might protest (his dad still has a hard time handing someone else the reins, even after all these years), but in the end, he concedes pretty easily.

 

“I have a three year old daughter and a  _ very  _ pregnant wife to contend with this year. I think I can step back and let you have this one. Just as long as-”

 

“You get to make the dessert,” William adds, and he rolls his eyes at the look of disbelief on Oliver’s face. “Obviously, Dad.”

 

In the end, William pulls out all the stops. He adds a few dishes to the menu - making sure to adjust the proportions for the unusually large number of people who’ll be there this year - and he cooks the whole meal himself, including the ham.

 

Christmas Eve night, William and his growing family sit around the table with two other families: Diggle and Lyla with their two kids - JJ and little Sara (who’s only a few months older than Ava) - and Aunt Thea and Uncle Roy, with their newborn baby Robert.

 

After a fun but hectic evening spent watching Christmas specials, chasing two toddlers around the house, and cooing over baby Robbie, Oliver, Felicity, and William finally find themselves alone in a quiet living room.

 

Felicity sighs, leaning back farther against the arm of the couch as Oliver massages her sore feet, which are resting in his lap.

 

“Presents?” she asks sleepily, and William groans.

 

“I’m not even sure I have the energy to get out of this chair, much less try and open anything that  _ you’ve _ wrapped.”

 

“Hey!” Felicity mutters indignantly, and she tries to sit up on the couch, but she gives up when her very pregnant belly proves to be too much for her. “I’ll have you know I’ve gotten much better at wrapping since you complained that first time.”

 

“She really hasn’t,” Oliver whispers, just loud enough that she can still hear him, and William laughs when she kicks her foot out, hitting Oliver in the stomach. Oliver lets out a loud “owww” at the same time that Felicity clutches her stomach and groans.

 

“Are you okay?” William asks, and he sits up in his chair, suddenly wide awake.

 

“I’m fine,” Oliver grumbles at the same time that Felicity says, “he kicked me.”

 

“Dad did?” William asks Felicity, staring at her in confusion.

 

“No, the baby,” Felicity responds, and Oliver stops rubbing his stomach, perking up at the mention of his unborn son. “Do you want to feel?” Felicity asks, holding a hand out to William.

 

He does.

 

So he gets out of his chair, crosses the room, and puts his palm against Felicity’s stomach, letting her guide his hand to the right spot….

 

...and William feels his half-brother kick for the first time.

 

“He’s strong already, just like his daddy,” Felicity says with a proud smile, and William grins when he feels the baby kick again in response, almost as though he understands her.

 

Oliver reaches over and puts his own hand on Felicity’s belly, and William steps back to give his father a turn.

 

“And his mommy,” Oliver responds as the baby kicks once more. He takes his free hand and touches his stomach, rubbing once more at the place where she kicked him. “That really did hurt, you know.”

 

“Oh, shush, you big baby,” Felicity admonishes, trying to swat at his arm but failing because he’s just out of reach. “You want to know about pain? Try carrying another human being inside you for nine months.  _ Twice. _ ” 

 

Oliver just stares at her, smiling fondly, his eyes full of a love that seems to have only gotten stronger over the years. Then he bends down and kisses her belly, and William decides it’s time to excuse himself.

 

As he heads off to bed, he hears his father say, “Felicity Smoak...have I ever told you how much I love you?”

 

“Only about twenty times a day for six years,” Felicity sighs happily. “But I wouldn’t object if you wanted to say it more.”

 

William shakes his head and laughs as he closes the door to his room.

 

He loves his father and his step-mother.

 

He loves his half-sister Ava, and he already loves his half-brother Tommy, even though he hasn’t been born yet. 

 

William loves his little family….

 

...and as he gets ready for bed, he thinks about how he can’t wait to start a family of his own someday.

 

**_...the end…_ **

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! As always, reviews feed my soul.


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